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The British variant of the coronavirus is currently dominant in much of Europe, and it also seems that this variant causes the greater proportion of infections in Poland. What is the UK variant of the coronavirus and why does it worry scientists so much? Is the UK variant of the coronavirus more contagious than the rest? What are the symptoms of infection with this variant of the coronavirus and what is the mortality rate?

The British variant of the SARS-CoV-2coronavirus was first found in England in September 2022, and its detection was reported on December 14, 2022 by British He alth Minister Matt Hancock. The minister then said that new infections with this variety were recorded primarily in the south and south-east of England.

Since then, the British variant of the coronavirus has spread to many other countries, and has also reached Poland.

British variant of the coronavirus - what is it

The British Coronavirus Variantis one of the many variants of the coronavirus that arose from mutations in the original virus. These mutations changed the structure of the virus particle as well as its properties. The British variant is referred to as B.1.1.7., Although other names can also be found in the scientific literature - including VO 202212/01, 20I / 501Y.V1, as well as VUI-202012 / 01.

British research, carried out, inter alia, commissioned by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, proved that the British variant of the coronavirus has as many as 17 different mutations.

As prof. Lawrence Young, a virologist and molecular oncologist at the University of Warwick, is already the 23rd variant of the coronavirus compared to the original Wuhan virus, and some of the changes that have occurred in various parts of it can affect both the degree and strength of the body's immune response and on the range of symptoms related to the infection itself.

UK Coronavirus Variant - More Infectious, More Deadly

The evidence so far by scientists suggests thatthe British variant of the coronavirusis up to 70%. more contagious than the other variants. This is because due to one of the mutations, this variant binds more strongly and more easily with the ACE2 receptor on the cell surface.through which the coronavirus can penetrate them.

Patients infected with this variant of the coronavirus also appear to have higher viral loads, meaning that more viruses multiply in their tissues, resulting in more severe symptoms of infection such as coughing, muscle pain and fatigue.

Probably this variant of the coronavirus is also more lethal - so far, however, this is information that requires further research.

British variant of the coronavirus - symptoms of infection

As a study by the UK's Office for National Statistic (ONS) suggests, the symptoms caused by the UK variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are essentially the same as those caused by the other variants. However, their intensity is slightly different: some of them occur more often, others less often or not at all.

The survey conducted by the ONS included a random sample of 6,000 residents of England, both in those who have become infected with the basic strain of SARS-CoV-2, and in those who have been confirmed to have a new, British variant.

The analysis is part of a long-term study of the coronavirus in the UK population, jointly conducted by Public He alth England, the University of Oxford and the University of Manchester. The test ran for two months, from mid-November to mid-January, and included 3,500 people with the new coronavirus variant and 2,500 people with the old variant.

It compares the symptoms of infection with the new mutation with those of people infected with the basic strain. It has been shown that patients with the British variant of the coronavirus most often develop:

  • cough, also tiring and persistent (35% compared to 28% in the previous variant),
  • fatigue (32 percent versus 29 percent),
  • muscle aches (25% versus 21%),
  • sore throat (21.8% versus 19%),
  • loss of sense of smell (16% versus 15%)

There were no differences in symptoms such as loss of taste (which was declared by 18% of respondents in both groups), headache, dyspnoea, diarrhea or vomiting.

Most people infected with the coronavirus experience at least one of the above symptoms.

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Infectious diseases